Coat of Arms of the Cook Islands

 

Photo: Mr. Teina BishopHon. Wilkie RASMUSSEN

  • Member for Tongareva (Penrhyn) Island
    Northern Cook Islands
    Member of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY
    DOB:   21st March 1958
    POB:    Omoka, Tongareva (Penrhyn) Island, Cook Islands

Parliamentary Services:

First elected as a Member of Parliament of the Cook Islands in the June 2002 Tongareva (Penrhyn) Island By-Election.  Re-elected in the 2004 General Election and on the 26th September 2006, Snap Election.

Ministerial Appointments:

Current Ministerial Protfolios (2009-2010) includes:

• Attorney General
• PERCA
• Commerce Commission
• Ministry of Finance & Economic Management
• Financial Intelligence Unit
• Financial Services Development Authority
• Financial Supervisory Commission
• National Superannuation
• Pearl Authority

Appointed as Minister of the Crown in March 2005 with the following portfolios:

·          Foreign Affairs and Immigrations;

·          Tourism Corporation;

·          Marine Resources and Cultural Development. 

His past Ministerial portfolios included Attorney-General; Environment Services and Public Service Commission.

Committee Service:

·          Chairman of Media Select Committee 2007;

·          Member of Property Law Select Committee 2007;

·          Member of Parliamentary Privileges Select Committee 2007;

·          Member of the CPA Cook Islands Committee.

Service Information:

·          Practised as a Barrister/Solicitor

·          Ran a private company called Northern Traders Limited

·          Cook Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand 1999-2002

·          Journalist.

Visits, Conferences and Delegations:

Co-President of the ACP/EU Joint Parliamentary Association in Brussels.

Community Services:

President of Tongareva (Penrhyn) Island Committee; Deputy Leader of Democratic Party; Deacon of Avarua CICC (Cook Islands Christian Church).

Education:

Secondary School:- New Zealand School Certificate; New Zealand University Entrance and Sixth Form Certificate.

Tertiary Education:- Bachelor of Arts (BA); Masters of Arts (MA - 1st Class Honours) and Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Auckland.

Personal:

The Hon. Wilkie Rasmussen is married to Tungane (nee Woonton) of Tongareva (Penrhyn) Island and they have two (2) children; a son and a daughter and they have three (3) granddaughters.